Hello Everyone
Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences as without this forum I wouldn’t of been able to make the decision to quit taking this awful medication.
I went to see one of the top highly recommended hair doctors in Los Angeles who was honest to tell me that I didn’t need a hair transplant and that F would be enough for me. For the past 5 years I would cut into 4 a 5mg tablet that equaled to 1.25mg, that I would take daily. My hair at the moment is heavy and satisfying and looks really good however the side effects that I have experienced are out of control and after reading in more detail about these side effects I realize that it is finasteride (F) that has been causing them and not ‘me’.
Even though I main a healthy lifestyle and do not snack and height and weight proportionate and a vegetarian gym goer, non smoker, occasional alcohol drinker and non drug taker on no medication apart from Finasteride - these are all the side effects that I have experienced in the last 5 years of taking F:
Sexual
[x ] Erectile Dysfunction (I would be able to get an erection however without activity it would not last)
[x ] Loss of Morning Erections (these have started to return after being off finasteride for 2 weeks)
[x ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections (these have started to return after being off F for 2 weeks)
[x ] Watery Ejaculate (need to monitor)
Mental
[x ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[x ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ x] Confusion
[x ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[x ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[x ] Slurring of Speech
[x ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[x ] Severe Depression / Melancholy
Drastic change with my mental health, so much so that a few years ago I went to see a therapist and wanted to go on anti depressants as was so at a lost and didn’t know why I was feeling so down. I went on various therapy courses and still did not understand my mood changes. Have managed to stay off anti depressants and looking at alternative therapies.
Have been getting very intrusive thoughts of loved ones being harmed in surreal circumstances (these are starting to slow down).
Have found myself waking up in a gaze, like a fixed stare and would need to remind myself to snap out of the stare (I’m not crazy).
Physical
[x ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled) - the fullness of penis when flaccid is noticeably returning
[ x] Penis curvature - I am awaiting an appointment to see a urologist as this is slight but noticeable
[x ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness - my testicles have grown small hard cysts that I had to get checked out my a radiographer and fortunately they are nothing to be alarmed about however that appeared whilst taking F.
[x ] Weight Gain - around the waist area!
[x ] Gynecomastia (male breasts) - noticeable
[x ] Muscle Wastage -even though I work out and very athletic, my body consist of more ‘loose skin’ than being firm and tight
[x ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes - my eyes have become so dry! I have had numerous optician appointments and going through treatment.
Misc
[x ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion - slowly changing
[ x] Digestion Problems - stomach would always feel and look bloated weather I eat or not, slowly changing
[ x] Constipation - slowly changing
[x ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness - My vision has completed changed and now need to wear contact/glasses
Other
Developed tinnitus - I also read that finasteride interferes with the GABA-A receptors which cause ringing in ears.
Developed eyelid ptosis - my eyelids have noticeably become droopy in the last 5 years of taking F.
Respiratory problems - getting heart palpitations and pro longed coughs - has cleared in the last 2 weeks while being off F.
Random twitches/sudden movements (arms, leg and head)
I even went to see a chest specialist who thought it might of been my thyroid and to his amazement all my tests and blood tests came back as healthy as one can be!
I feel as though I am one of the unlucky ones to face all these problems that F has caused and forutnetly I have already seen positive changes while being off this dam thing.
I would prefer to use products like toppik hair fibres to cover the areas that F has tried to keep and will look in on herbal recommendations.
If anyone wants me to expand on a certain point then let me know.
Please stop taking this drug before you develop permanent damage to your health.
We Are Enough!
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Where are you from (country)?
UK -
How did you find this forum (Google search – if so, what search terms? Via link from a forum or website – if so, what page? Other?)
Google -
What is your current age, height, weight?
35, 6ft, 165lbs -
Do you excercise regularly? If so, what type of excercise?
Gym 3 times a week -
What type of diet do you eat (vegetarian, meat eater, raw, fast-food/organic healthy)?
Veg -
Why did you take Finasteride (hair loss, BPH, other)?
hair loss -
For how long did you take Finasteride (weeks/months/years)?
5 years -
How old were you, and WHEN (date) did you start Finasteride?
30 -
How old were you when you quit, and WHEN (date) did you quit?
35 - Nov 2014 -
How did you quit (cold turkey or taper off)?
Cold -
What type of Finasteride did you use – Propecia, Proscar, Fincar or other generic?
Generic Finasteride -
What dose did you take (eg. 1 mg/day, 1 mg every other day etc.)?
1.25mg a day -
How long into your use of Finasteride did you notice the onset of side effects?
see above -
What side effects did you experience while on the drug that have yet to resolve since discontinuation?
see above
Put an X beside all that apply:
Sexual
[ ] Loss of Libido / Sex Drive
[x ] Erectile Dysfunction
[ ] Complete Impotence
[x ] Loss of Morning Erections
[x ] Loss of Spontaneous Erections
[ ] Loss of Nocturnal Erections
[x ] Watery Ejaculate
[ ] Reduced Ejaculate
[ ] Inability to Ejaculate / Orgasm
[ ] Reduced Sperm Count / Motility
Mental
[x ] Emotional Blunting / Emotionally Flat
[x ] Difficulty Focusing / Concentrating
[ x] Confusion
[x ] Memory Loss / Forgetfullness
[x ] Stumbling over Words / Losing Train of Thought
[x ] Slurring of Speech
[x ] Lack of Motivation / Feeling Passive / Complacency
[ ] Extreme Anxiety / Panic Attacks
[x ] Severe Depression / Melancholy
[ ] Suicidal Thoughts
Physical
[x ] Penile Tissue Changes (narrowing, shrinkage, wrinkled)
[ x] Penis curvature / rotation on axis
[ ] Testicular Pain
[x ] Testicular Shrinkage / Loss of Fullness
[ ] Genital numbness / sensitivity decrease
[x ] Weight Gain
[x ] Gynecomastia (male breasts)
[x ] Muscle Wastage
[ ] Muscle Weakness
[ ] Joint Pain
[x ] Dry / Dark Circles under eyes
Misc
[ ] Prostate pain
[x ] Persistent Fatigue / Exhaustion
[ x] Stomach Pains / Digestion Problems
[ x] Constipation / “Poo Pellets”
[x ] Vision - Acuity Decrease / Blurriness
[ ] Increased hair loss
[ ] Frequent urination
[ ] Lowered body temperature
[x ] Other (please explain)
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What (if any) treatments have you undertaken to recover from your side effects since discontinuation of the drug?
N/A -
If you have pre or post-Finasteride bloodtests, what hormonal changes have you encountered since discontinuing the drug (pls post your test results in the “Blood Tests” section and link to them in your post)?
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Anything not listed in the above questions you’d like to share about your experience with Finasteride?
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Tell us your story, in your own words, about your Finasteride usage and side effects experienced while on/off the drug.